Hello You
by Illisandria Carthain
Summary: Skooge had been shot oyut of a bio-sweep canno and attacked by a Hogulous but he's still got a place to go and friends to make. Request fic for ngrey651. Oneshot.


(A/N: ngrey651's request fic: a little Skooge Oneshot. Enjoy! This is my first time writing for Skooge so...please review!)

I had been living in Zim's basement ever since I escaped the Hogulus on Hobo 13, which was after I was shot out of a bio-sweep cannon, which was after I conquered Blorch: home of the slaughtering rat-people. Really, living in the basement of the only person who ever talked to me with a semblance of respect in a world where, because I was short and fat and ugly, I was looked down upon. Really, Zim wasn't too bad.

After the first week or so of getting used to the sounds of his home base (which consisted of mainly large explosions, the sound of television, Zim howling in rage and GIR howling insanely) I was pretty comfortable. I had all I could ever want: I had a place to sleep, food, and a planet whose inhabitants DIDN'T want to bite my head off. Yep, life was good…

I started moving around, venturing outside of the basement and the kitchen to the upper floor and watched some TV with GIR occasionally (really it wasn't so bad when you got past the fact that he'd eat the nastiest of things while watching TV). Then came the first time I ever met Dib and boy was that a shock.

I had never met a human before and, while Zim was in the lab cooking up an evil scheme, the doorbell rang. 'GIR! Open the door, kay?' I hid, knowing that if the humans saw me without a disguise ('cause Zim hadn't made me one yet) they'd freak.

'okie dokie!!!' GIR, dressed in his doggie suit, opened the door to a short human smeet with odd hair and glasses. 'hi big-headed boyeh! master's in the lab!'

He brushed past GIR and into the base, a camera in hand, 'Zim!!!' he shouted, 'Zim - where are you!!!'

'Um…Zim's in the lab…he can't hear you…and since GIR let you in the base won't tell him you're here either…' I piped up. Because the human seemed to know what Zim was, I thought it was safe to be seen…big mistake.

'ANOTHER ALIEN!!!!' the kid shrieked and took a couple pictures, 'Are you an Irken too? Where's your PAK? Why didn't Zim tell me?!!! Why are you living with him? Are you life-partners or something?'

'Okay, okay…slow down…' I held my hands up, pushing the camera away from my face. 'Yes, I am Irken. I can survive without my PAK. Probably because he forgot. Because he's the only one who didn't think I was scum. And no, Irken's can't reproduce and love is an unnecessary emotion. My name is Skooge by the way and I'm pretty new here. I took over my planet so I'm chilling here till Zim get's done…'

He looked at me oddly, 'So…you're NOT helping Zim?'

'Not really…I'm just bunking here…' I shrugged, 'SOMETIMES he asks me to help and I do but, for the most part I just sit here and chillax.' He gave me a look, 'WHAT?!'

'It's just…you're so different from Zim…'

My antennae twitched in amusement, 'Well, yeah. Everyone's different…at least they SHOULD be…on Irk the smeets are MADE from the genes of other Irkens of long past and are grafted with PAKs containing their personality when they're born. Due to that the fact that we're all told to think alike and GOOD Irkens are programmed to do as they're told, there IS no individuality on Irk.' I could feel his gaze on my head, 'Only defectives are different…'

There was a long bout of silence and then he spoke up, 'It's the same here too…everyone's told to act the same and then told to be themselves. When they conform they lose themselves but gain "normality". When they remain true to them they're outcasts…' He looked at me, a form of water (which burns…A LOT) dripping down his face (not burning HIM). 'Makes us one and the same, huh?'

I was speechless, the first human I ran into and he had IDENTIFIED with me! 'Possibly….why do you stop Zim? He's just doing his job and from what I hear the humans aren't too nice to YOU either…'

'It's MY job…' I looked him in the eyes and watched the water course down his cheeks, 'Even if they may deserve it…humans are the only family I've got, MY people…if it was me there on Irk wouldn't you do the same?' I just looked at him and he knew. 'Maybe I'll see you later, kay?' he left and GIR and I shared the couch once again.

Things went back to normal and Dib came less and less often. One day I confronted Zim while he was in his lab, feverishly working on his latest plan. 'Zim, where's Dib?'

'The Dib-filth? I heard he was taken away…' Zim commented, not looking up from his work, 'The humans in the white coats took him to the big crazy place. He's not gonna' ever come back…now I can get to making my plans even better!' he raised a small clawed fist in triumph and I slowly took the elevator back to the living room.

'GIR?'

'yes?...' the defective SIR stared at me, his teal eyes seeming to bore a hole right through me.

'Is…is Dib gonna be okay?'

He shrugged, 'the big-headed boyeh seems to always be okie-dokie in the end. i dunno tho…maybes…'

'I hope so…' I just spent the rest of the day there on the couch.

Days passed and Dib was still in the crazy-house. Zim had finally finished his latest and greatest plan and we were preparing to execute it just then. Zim turned to me as s he climbed in the giant mech-suit, 'You're only here because I don't trust GIR or Minimoose with the aiming system for the weapons…'

'Okay…' I shrugged and got in as well. The mech…Zim…went on a rampage and destroyed most of the city he resided in when he sent for the Tallest.

'Zim?' Tallest Red squinted, 'And…SKOOGE?!!!' They never really were all that nice to me.

'How are you two doing?' Tallest Purple could barely hold the sarcasm out of his voice.

'I have built a giant mech-suit and am now wreaking havoc on the humans in the city. I was just calling to request the Armada's assistance in the final volley of the bio-sweep…' Zim looked so proud of himself.

'You're actually doing something RIGHT for a change?!!!' Red clapped a hand over Purple's mouth when he said this.

Zim smiled wickedly and nodded, 'Of course. Zim ALWAYS does things right.'

'And the mech…it hasn't blown up yet?' Red asked cautiously.

'Nope.'

There was a pause and then Red and Purple stood erect and stared directly at Zim. 'Zim, look…'

'The Armada…is not coming…'

Zim's face lit up, 'Ooh, so the Massive is coming to fire the bio-sweep?!'

'No Zim' his face fell again, his antennae drooping in defeat, 'We're not coming either.'

'After much consideration we've decided to tell you…your mission is a lie Zim…'

'What?'

'We LIED. You've been exiled to this planet for the rest of your life! You're DEAD to the Irken race Zim, you're a laughingstock!!!'

'B-but…' Zim feebly protested, the reality I had know for so long just hitting him full-on, 'I…I was always…'

'Look, just don't call us again.' Red testily waved a claw in the direction of the Comm.-drones, 'EVER Zim.' Then the screen went to black.

'Zim?' I reached out to him only to find that his face was all vacant and pale. 'Zim…it's okay Zim…'

'They…I was…'

'You were their most loyal, I know…they hate me too though.'

'You…?' he turned to face me.

'Me…'

'Why…'

'Well, I know you haven't been too nice to me but - I'm short. They hate me because I'm short and yet I was the one to finish my planet first. They hate it.'

'Just because you're different?...'

I smiled as Minimoose and GIR piloted the mech back to the base, 'looks like humans and Irkens aren't that different, eh?'

'Then the Dib…'

'He's different too…'

He seemed to perk back up, 'Then let us go visit him!'

'Why?...I th0ught the amazing Zim hated the Dib…'

'DO NOT TELL ZIM WHAT HE CAN AND CANNOT HATE!!!!' his voice rose to its normal fevered pitch of stubborn determination. 'To the Crazy House for Boys!!!!'

We visited Dib and Zim said nothing, only watched as the White-Coats treated Dib like the Tallest treated him. 'Why are you here?'

'Because…' I said, staring at the writing by his cage. 'Dib Membrane, insanity in the form of hallucinations. Release date: NEVER.'

I blinked, 'Dib…tell them you were wrong…'

'What?'

'Tell them you were wrong. We're done here anyways…'

His face contorted into a howl of rage, 'YOU!!! I TRUSTED YOU!!!'

'Tell them you're wrong so we don't have to come and get you…'

Then we left. A few weeks later Dib was back and he seemed to be even more curious about Zim, always asking why he wasn't attacking the Earth lately. I never told him anything.

'How can I ever face him?! How can I tell him the truth?...'

'When you're ready…' he looked at me and for once I felt like I truly WAS taller than him.

When he finally did so, I was there, overseeing it like a big brother. I smiled when Dib began to cry, realizing that his once-enemy was just like him. Zim just frowned and accepted his offer of friendship. Of course, for once I wasn't forgotten. Both of them turned to face me and grinned beckoning. Then they called out , Zim in Irken and Dib in American English, their words ringing out in unison —

'Hey you…'

(A/N: Well it started to get a little angsty but I kept it from getting too…much. Sorry if the plot seemed a bit rushed. Looking back I probably should've done a few things differently. Also, I've noticed I have an odd habit of switching between British and American writing styles (British being ''=talking while American is ""=talking). Still…here British-style just seems appropriate. R&R, 'kay? 'Sandria cries t the sky 'FAREWELL!!!!')


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